


Changes

by Anshie



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-16 00:33:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3467780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anshie/pseuds/Anshie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're complaining about me not teasing you?"<br/>Touché! Bokuto cleared his throat and made a flustered face. "Yeah...", he mumbled and looked away. "I guess so~."<br/>Akaashi couldn't hold back an amused grin. Now that was cute. "Alright", he said. "I'll make sure to tease you more, next time."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changes

**Author's Note:**

> Those two inspire me far too much and it's not good for my sleep rhythm. "OTL The story is focused on Boku/Aka with some mentions of Kuroo/Kenma. It's mostly Akaashi's POV. The end will make clear why. ;3  
> Boku/Aka music suggestion: "The other side" by Jason Derulo

"If you ever need me, I'll most likely be here. Be it today, tomorrow, or in several months... Maybe even in years, who knows? Even if I wouldn't want to, even if I'd plan to leave - I'd still be here the second you called. Because it would just be the most natural thing for me to do. Actually, I somehow hope that you need me as much as I need you. But there's no way I'd ever let you know. Some things should stay unsaid to avoid the risk of breaking something really valuable: our friendship."

~

"Akaashi!"

One millisecond he heard someone shouting his name, and the next he felt something hard bouncing off his head.

"Jesus Christ, are you okay?", Kuroo asked and came running, instantly placing a hand on the other male's shoulder and pushing him downwards to sit on the floor of the gym.

The guy who just got a volleyball against the side of his head, Akaashi Keiji, didn't resist and just kept sitting there, rubbing his throbbing head with his hand. "Yeah, I'm fine", he mumbled but didn't sound fine at all.

In the meantime, Bokuto and the others had come running to him, too, looking at him with equally worried expressions. Bokuto was about to open his mouth and say something when he was interrupted by their coach.

"Akaashi, you're feeling alright?", the man asked with a serious and firm tone in his voice.

"Yes", the black-haired setter answered without hesitation and got back on his feet. Kuroo, who was still standing closest to him, made an attempt to grab his upper arm to support him just in case he might feel dizzy, but Akaashi shoved the helping hand away with a short nod, which was meant as a repetition of his previous words: "I'm fine."

"Fair enough then, back to topic, ladies", Fukurodani's coach shouted, directed at the two teams who had come together for a practice match. He clapped his hands and then placed his hand on Bokuto's shoulder to shove him back to his position, while the captain of the team made a face like a 5-year-old who had his lolly stolen, stuttering "But-but-but-!!!"

"If you feel dizzy or anything, you'll say so right away, got it?", the coach addressed Akaashi again and the young man nodded, looking over at Bokuto when mumbling a reassuring "I'm okay" once more, before he got back into position.

~

The rest of the training went by rather quickly and for once, Akaashi didn't mind. He also didn't mind that Nekoma won the match. It was a tight victory anyway. What bothered him a lot more was the fact that they probably lost because of his slightly sloppy tossing after he got a volleyball against his head. Because they had been in quite a lead before said little accident. But still, his pride didn't allow him to admit that he did indeed feel a little dizzy and it would probably have been better if he stayed on the bench for today. Even if the rest of his team didn't blame him, Bokuto made it more than clear that he had the same thought.

On their way from the locker room to the showers, Akaashi was walking behind Bokuto and Kuroo, so he could witness the scene directly.  
Kuroo crouched down a little too late, when Bokuto threw his towel right in his face. "You did that on purpose, mangy cat!", he scolded Nekoma's captain. "Hurt my setter once more and I'll take you to a vet to castrate you!"

"Wow wow wow, calm your horns, noisy-ass owl! As if I'd ever do something like that!" Bokuto's accusation wasn't meant to be serious, but Kuroo felt the urge to defend himself nevertheless.

"Stop that nonsense, Bokuto-san", Akaashi interrupted their yelling with his comparatively quiet and usual collected voice. It was close to a miracle that Bokuto always heard the vice-captain over all his own enthusiastic shouting. And moreover listened to him! Akaashi never raised his voice. It wasn't necessary because Bokuto would listen either way. "I know it wasn't on purpose, Kuroo-san", he addressed said comrade, as soon as both guys had turned around to him. "Please don't worry about it."

Bokuto gave his friend a questioning look but didn't say anything. And that was for sure a sign of something being definitely wrong here.

~

"What's wrong?", the white-haired wing spiker asked his best friend on their way home.

"Nothing, why?", was the short reply he got. Short replies were nothing strange coming from Akaashi, but Bokuto, as simple-minded as he might seem to be, knew him long enough to notice if something was odd.

"You're acting weird", he said and his voice sounded different from the usual. Less loud, less energetic - kinda worried.

Akaashi brought himself to look over to him while they continued walking, but turned away only a second later, facing the street ahead. "How?"

"Maaaan, I dunno", his friend replied with a deep sigh, frustration written all over his face while he stretched his arms behind his head. He had never been good at serious conversations - and he absolutely didn't like them either! But on the other hand, he couldn't keep his concerns to himself. Not when it was about Akaashi! Because Akaashi was his setter and his best friend and his blood brother! Oh, about that last one... When Akaashi was 9 and Bokuto 10, Akaashi had hit his knee - so Bokuto did what was the only logical thing to do for a best friend: He hit his elbow on purpose and pressed it against Akaashi's knee. "So it won't be wasted", he had said with a bright smile, trying to make the best use of a bloody knee. Made total sense for him. And somehow, Akaashi was quite sure that even now, when he was 17, it probably still made a lot of sense in Bokuto Koutaro's twisted way of thinking. That's what he loved him for. And that was exactly his problem.

"I got a ball against my head", Akaashi answered. "Sorry for feeling not too well after that." There was obvious sarcasm in his voice. Enough for even Bokuto to notice.

"Yeah, fine, not complaining about that", he replied while looking at Akaashi and almost running against a street lamp - he managed to dodge it at the very last second. "But see?", he continued and started gesturing with both hands to emphasize his words. "I got the feeling you acted weird before that already. You talk even less and - excuse me but that means close to not at all. And you weren't teasing me a single time today! Not even when I fucked up that one serve and freaked out about it. Apart from that, to be honest, I think if you hadn't been spacing out, Kuroo's ball wouldn't have made contact with your head."

It made Akaashi nervous to know that Bokuto had noticed him acting differently. That was bad. He had to be more careful. But his acting skills were still good enough to let him keep his calm, so he simply raised a brow and sent Bokuto a sceptical glare. "You're complaining about me not teasing you?"

Touché! Bokuto cleared his throat and made a flustered face. "Yeah...", he mumbled and looked away. "I guess so~."

Akaashi couldn't hold back an amused grin. Now that was cute. "Alright", he said and stopped walking because they had reached the front door of the building complex where he lived. "I'll make sure to tease you more, next time. I have no doubt you'll give me plenty of opportunities."

Bokuto's expression brightened up immediately. "Awesome!" He threw one arm around Akaashi's neck, putting him in a headlock. "That's how I like you best, man!", he said and messed up his friend's hair with his free hand before letting go of him. "Woops, I hope your head doesn't hurt anymore. Take care, okay? See ya tomorrow!"

"See you", Akaashi mumbled and watched Bokuto walking off before he turned around and entered the building. The big glass door to the entrance area had just closed behind him when he let out a deep sigh. He raised his hand to his hair, brushing through it abstractedly, and closed his eyes for a second, while the same hand ran to the side of his neck, where Bokuto's arm had been touching a moment ago. But then he let it sink down and shook his head. 'No, Keiji. Just no! Stop thinking about it!', he lectured himself and walked up to the elevator. Well... at least Bokuto seemed to be relieved.

~

The 14th of February had always been a day like any other for Akaashi Keiji. Until puberty slapped him and his classmates right in the face and society forced them to believe in millions of marketing promotions. The industry boomed. Valentine's Day and White Day were popular because they were the perfect opportunity to tell someone your feelings if you were usually far too shy to approach them. Why the bloody hell a special day was needed to have the guts and take a first step... well, Akaashi would never understand. Because to him, the 14th of February didn't have much effect on his courage. Not that he wanted any courage to begin with. He was perfectly fine with the way things were. If only things were to stay this way. But how could he assure that if the rest of his class got into some kind of creepy Valentine's cult and it was absolutely impossible to ignore the chatting and giggling of his female classmates as well as the mention of a certain name?

"Bokuto-senpai."

Akaashi rested his elbow on the desk and his chin lazily on his hand, eyes closed and almost dozing off during their short break between classes. But when he heard his best friend's name, coming from some girls who were chatting just two desks away from him, his tiredness felt blown away. His gaze wandered over to the small group who was discussing recipes for self-made chocolate as if it was the most important thing in this world.

"Eeeeh??? Seriously?!", a girl with black pigtails squeaked. "Will you write your name on the letter?" The other girl shook her head as fast as she could. "No-way!", she said. "I'm too shy." - "But what's the purpose then? Oh come on, you should do iiiit!"

Akaashi let out a deep sigh. He had to admit this girl was cute. Long, silky, black hair with a red ribbon and a pretty, flawless doll face. He wondered if Bokuto was into this kind of girls. Those who looked like a perfect girlfriend to show off. Those whose only goal in life was to become a perfect wife. To cook, clean up and take care of the children, waiting for their hardworking husband to come home and greet him with a sugary sweet "Okaeri, anata!"

The girls startled and turned around when the back of Akaashi's chair hit the empty desk behind him with a loud "BAMM" and he left the classroom with big steps.

"Woah, what's wrong with him?", the ponytail girl said, sounding rather annoyed about the ruckus Akaashi had caused.  
"That's Bokuto-senpai's friend!", the ribbon girl explained nervously. "What if he heard us? What if he will tell him?"

~

Like hell he would! It was most likely the last thing on earth he would do: to tell Bokuto that a girl from his class had a crush on him. Well, unless he would add the vital information about her bad breath and her habit to eat her boogies. - Which wasn't true. And he wasn't that mean. But hard times required hard actions, right? No, seriously, he had no clue what he would do if any girl ever confessed to Bokuto. Or what he would do if Bokuto started dating someone. And considering what Bokuto Koutarou looked like, it was just a matter of time.  
The last time Akaashi got chocolate for Valentine's Day was in his last year of elementary school. From his neighbour who was the same age and had known him since kindergarden. Back then he had gladly accepted it because chocolate was yummy. And that was all that mattered. He didn't even think about the reason why this girl had given him chocolate. As mentioned before: Puberty made shit get real!  
Akaashi wasn't ugly. In fact, he was quite handsome. The only problem was that there was one word that described him even better, but in most cases wasn't a word that a male person liked to hear when being described: he was pretty.  
He simply wasn't what girls liked these days. With his black hair, droopy eyes and soft facial features he looked like the typical softy character from a love song-singing boy band. And his character more or less matched this image. He was calm and mature for his age. Oh and he was also smart! He was what every mother would love to call her son-in-law. - In a time that called for revolution. In a time that called for Bokuto Koutarou.  
Bokuto and him had only one thing in common: they were both tall. And being tall was definitely a plus not only in volleyball. Apart from that, Bokuto was his complete opposite. He was everything that was popular these days. To explain it better, this phenomenon could probably be compared to the latest fashion trends. Most recently, every girl loved to wear polka dots because seriously, stripes were sooo old-fashioned! They loved bubblegum ice cream instead of strawberry, they loved dyed hair but would never be allowed to dye their own. They loved everything that looked exotic or even "gaijin"-like - and so they loved Bokuto Koutarou.  
Akaashi couldn't blame them. Because Bokuto was really handsome. Yes, handsome! Not pretty. His whole appearance had something wild and revolutionary. His trademark-like black and white-striped hairstyle was only one example of that. (Stripes were cool when it came to hairstyles, by the way. - Don't ask, just accept the rules!) He had sharp golden eyes and thick eyebrows which gave him this "Don't challenge me!" expression even when he smiled. Oh, and his smile was... well it was honest and warm. And he smiled often! He was an optimist and spread so much positive energy - most of the time. He had this strong jaw line, clearly visible Adam's apple and angular face and chiselled body with big hands and broad shoulders and-

Akaashi turned around to face the wall of the shower cabin when he suddenly noticed he was staring over to the opposite one a little too long. But Bokuto was busy washing his hair and had his eyes closed so there wasn't anything to worry about. And damn, he looked just too hot not to stare! Still, it made Akaashi's whole head feel like it was burning and he grabbed the faucet to get some more cold water.  
And this, ladies and gentlemen, was the real reason for Akaashi Keiji's recent mental absence, and probably also the reason why he was too lost in daydreaming and worrying about how to get rid of female nuisances to hit Kuroo's ball with his hands instead of his head. He had a serious and almost-impossible-to-ignore fucking goddamn crush on his best friend.

~

And then the next day came. It was unavoidable. Valentine's Day was there. And remembering the overheard chat of his female classmates, Akaashi could only hope for one thing: that this girl (or any other) really didn't write her name on whatever present she was planning to give to Bokuto. Said wing spiker was as carefree as always and far too lively for this time of the day when he entered the school building with Akaashi. Maybe he didn't even think about what day it was. But the memory should have come back by the time they approached the shoe lockers and they watched two guys some metres away, laughing with presents in their hands and discussing who the secret admirer could be.

"Woah, I totally forgot!", Bokuto shouted and walked faster towards his own locker.

"You're not seriously expecting something, are you?", Akaashi asked with a sceptical and uninterested voice. Uninterested, yeah... maybe he should consider becoming an actor because his acting skills were amazing.

"I got some chocolate last year", Bokuto defended himself with a pouting face. "Are you saying you don't expect me to get a Valentine's present?"

"I-" Akaashi didn't finish the sentence when Bokuto opened the locker and made a happy noise while taking out a square-shaped box wrapped in dark blue paper and a small, light blue envelop on top of it.

"See? Told ya!", he said with a grin.

Akaashi rolled his eyes and turned away to get his own slippers and put them on. When he got up, Bokuto had already put his present into his school bag.

"You're not curious about the letter?", Akaashi asked him.

"Huh?", Bokuto said as they started walking towards the classrooms. "Well, don't make me say it but I'm actually more curious about the taste of the chocolate." He laughed guiltily.

Akaashi shook his head. "Mean", was all he said. But in his mind, he couldn't deny that this reply really made him calm down a little. Yeah right. Even if a girl confessed to Bokuto, it didn't automatically mean that he was interested. Bokuto was basically only interested in volleyball. Everything was fine. No need to worry.

"I know, I know", Bokuto mumbled. "But you know what? If the chocolate is good, maybe I should give that girl a chance. Wouldn't mind getting chocolate more often."

"You're an asshole, Bokuto-san", Akaashi said monotonously and raised his hand to wave shortly before walking into the classroom.

"Haha, and you love me for that!", he heard Bokuto laughing behind him. "See you later, Akaashi!"

The black-haired male sighed and plopped down on his chair. "Yeah...", he mumbled to himself. "If you knew how damn right you are..."

~

Somehow, miraculously, Akaashi had survived this school day without thinking too much about Bokuto's secret admirer.  
That was until he left the building just to see his captain waiting for him at the school gate, munching the chocolate that Akaashi had tried to forget.

"Want some?", Bokuto mumbled with his mouth full when Akaashi reached him. He probably didn't think about it much and just wanted to offer his friend some chocolate, but thinking about whom that chocolate came from, Akaashi considered it an act of sympathy.

'Choke on it', he answered only in his head, but then mumbled a short "No thanks", while he started walking.

They didn't have any practice today because from tomorrow on they would be visiting Nekoma for a short training camp weekend. To prepare and pack, they got today's evening off. Well, at least theoretically. In practice they had agreed on studying together at Bokuto's place because some crazy Math exam was approaching right from hell, and there were some teachers who simply didn't give a shit about them being talented volleyball players who absolutely did not intend to become Math professors or architects or whatever might have to do with geometry.

On their way home Bokuto was talking about today's classes and yesterday's practice and the upcoming weekend... and not about chocolate or love letters at all, while Akaashi was still wondering if that letter had a name on it. And why didn't Bokuto mention it? Wasn't he his best friend? Shouldn't he tell him such important things without Akaashi asking him? Actually... he didn't want to know anyway. It would just frustrate him more, right? So why couldn't he get it out of his head?

His thoughts got interrupted when he heard some voices behind them, whispering and making "Psht!" noises.  
"I can't! He's not alone!", was what made it to his ear.  
"Come on, it's now or never!"

"Woah!"

Akaashi and Bokuto didn't even get the chance to turn around to see what was going on when suddenly two girls pushed a third one, causing her to stumble forward and crush right against the two much taller boys. The excited giggling of her friends was heard while they ran off, leaving the poor girl all by herself.

Bokuto had grabbed the girl’s shoulders to prevent her from falling, but when he saw her completely red face, he let go of her immediately. "Wow, hey, that's what I call a straight-forward approach!", he joked. "Or was it straight-backward?" Akaashi rolled his eyes. Great! He had almost started to relax and now this. Who was that girl anyway, and what the bloody hell did she want? Unfortunately he could guess it...

"Uhm, I'm sorry!", the girl with the wavy hair stuttered while looking down at the chocolate box in her hand. Oh no!

'Give me a break!', Akaashi thought, but didn't say anything. It was one day. One stupid day and it was almost over. Let that girl give her stupid chocolate to Bokuto and then go home, get rid of this stupid Math homework, enjoy some precious alone time with his crush and that's it. That was all he planned for the rest of today.

"I-, I uhm...", the girl mumbled, her cheeks deep red.

'Come on now. Just do it. Don't waste our time.' Akaashi knew that his thoughts were mean. But in this moment, he really couldn't make them stop.

"I- I just wanted to... to give you this." She reached out both hands with the little box in them. 'Great, girl, you did it. I'm so proud of you. Now please leave us a-'

"Akaashi-senpai."

And that was the moment Akaashi mentally choked on his own spit. Pardon, WHAT? He didn't notice how he was staring at the girl like an idiot for more than a few seconds, until Bokuto gave him a slap on the back that almost made him fall forward.

"He's just shy, he's just shy! Of course he'll accept it!", Bokuto laughed and hit Akaashi with his elbow into his side. "Right, Akaashi?"

The black-haired male was so confused that all he managed was a quite unintelligent-sounding "Ah... uhm..." And before he knew what was going on, he was standing there with the chocolate gift box in his hands, the girl bowing and stuttering and bowing once more and then running off and leaving them alone. And while Akaashi was still staring into the direction where she just ran off to, he could hear Bokuto laughing next to him. Well, until he turned around and punched his captain's upper arm with his fist.

"Will you shut up?", he hissed and got even more angry when he noticed how warm his face felt. Damn, this situation had really caught him off guard and Bokuto laughing about him didn't help at all.

"Come on, that was cute!", Bokuto said and was still trying hard to stop laughing.

"That's not cute at all!", Akaashi said. "I shouldn't have taken it! What if she thinks I might be interested now?"

"Are you not?" Bokuto grinned mischievously.

"Of course I'm not!" Akaashi tried to keep his voice low. It was rare for him to raise it at all, so it had an even more intense effect. "Here", he mumbled and pushed the chocolate box against Bokuto's chest. "Add it to your collection and get fat." And with that, he turned around to continue walking.

Bokuto ran after him with the chocolate in his hand and ignored Akaashi's harsh words. Instead, he turned them around just the way he needed them. He often did that and he was a pro at it. So he leaned forward, looking at Akaashi with a provoking grin. "Oooh~, you're giving me Valentine's chocolate, Akaashi?", he said with a big smile. "That's so cute of you! But really, if you wanted to go on a date with me, you could just have ask-"

"Shut UP!", Akaashi yelled and walked faster, his face turned away from his friend, because seriously, by now it was probably as red as a fire extinguisher.

~

Studying Math together was probably not very effective when both studying partners weren't good at it. But at least it wasn't as boring as studying alone at home and it helped to calm down the guilty conscience of not studying at all.

Akaashi was sitting on the carpet that covered the biggest part of the wooden floor, his back leaning against the bed frame behind him. Bokuto's room wasn't big. If Akaashi stretched his legs, his toes could easily touch the shelf on the opposite side of the room. The shelf had a TV, a PlayStation, and mostly games on it. There were some books, too, even if most of them were school books and nothing Bokuto would read voluntarily. Apart from that there was a desk in front of the window right next to the bed, and the wardrobe was placed at the wall next to the door.  
Akaashi liked being here. It was small but also cozy and somehow felt like a second home to him, considering how long he had known Bokuto and how often he had visited him. He dropped the Math book onto his lap and leaned his head back onto the mattress, letting out a deep sigh and closing his eyes. He took a deep breath. This room smelled like Bokuto. Even if he couldn't describe that smell. He just loved it. He remembered how he had slept on the futon right next to bed where he was sitting now. The last sleepover had been ages ago. He kinda missed it. Back then, he hadn't thought of Bokuto the way he did now. Probably because he had been too young. Now, thinking of waking up and seeing Bokuto's sleeping face was enough to make his heart make an excited little jump. He was a mess... such an emotional mess.

"BOO!"

"Wah!" Akaashi raised his head a little too fast when he suddenly heard Bokuto's voice loud and clear right next to his ear, and he ended up hitting his nose on the other male's head. "Outsch!"

"Oh my god, I'm sorry!", Bokuto apologized and patted Akaashi's shoulder. "You okay? Sorry, you just looked so cute right now and I had to-" He didn't finish the sentence when he saw Akaashi's deadly glare from over the hands which covered his hurting nose.

The white-haired male, who had just come from taking a shower, sat cross-legged on the floor in front of Akaashi, his dripping wet hair falling over his forehead, and he was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist while he looked at Akaashi with a face so guilty that even a puppy could hardly beat it. The view alone was seductive enough to make it impossible to be mad at this adorable idiot.

"Are you... mad?", Bokuto asked carefully because Akaashi was still just staring at him without saying a word. Akaashi's eyes drifted down to Bokuto's crotch and back up, his brow furrowed.

"You know?", he said with a serious voice. "You shouldn't sit cross-legged when wearing nothing but a towel." He rubbed his hurting nose once more before grabbing his book and going back to study. Well, actually he just needed something to stare at, or else Bokuto's view would drive him completely crazy.

'Cute...', he repeated in his head while Bokuto got up with a relieved laugh and walked over to his wardrobe to get dressed. 'How do I look cute...?' By thinking about Bokuto's words, Akaashi basically just tried to ignore the fact that his crush was standing a metre away from him, completely naked. It was cruel. Just like before and after every volleyball practice in the changing rooms and showers. It was like a daily challenge not to stare. And it was tough because Bokuto was really shameless and didn't mind walking through the whole room naked. 'We're all guys anyway', was what he always said.

A few minutes later, Bokuto flopped down onto the bed next to where Akaashi was sitting on the floor and looked down into the book his best friend was holding, along with some notes.

"Do you wanna take a shower, too? Math can wait a moment", he asked.

"I'm fine", Akaashi mumbled without looking up from the book. "I'll shower at home. Want to finish this stuff first."

"Hmm." Bokuto didn't say anything for a moment and Akaashi was reading the task for the third time in a row now. Bokuto made him nervous. He sat so close to him that his leg was almost touching Akaashi's shoulder. He knew he should be used to this closeness. They were close to each other so often. But when they were alone like this it was a lot more difficult to ignore it. There was no distraction. Just them. And this made it almost impossible for Akaashi to concentrate. It got worse and worse every day. Damn, how the hell should he get those feelings under control?

Suddenly Bokuto leaned forward and Akaashi's heart skipped a beat as his friend's chin came to rest on his shoulder. He didn't know what was going on and his whole body felt petrified. He felt Bokuto's cheek on his neck, his wet hair against his jaw and his breath... He considered saying something but as much as his head was seeking for an explanation, he didn't want to ruin this moment. So he kept quiet. Maybe Bokuto didn't think about this gesture at all. Maybe he was just in the mood for some cuddling. Might be. Everyone needs some cuddling now and then, right? So maybe it was okay if...  
Akaashi dropped his pen and slowly raised his arm. His hand was about to touch Bokuto's cheek, but then-

He heard a sniffing sound and froze in his movement.

"What...", was all that he managed to say.

"Hmmm~ you really don't smell at all, Akaashi", he heard Bokuto's voice right next to his ear and felt his eye twitching nervously.

"You're so lucky you never sweat much!", Bokuto explained and raised his head to get back into a normal sitting position. "I noticed before. During training. Somehow you never smell. Lucky you!"

Aaand~ there it goes~! Bye, bye, magic of the moment. Akaashi felt the urge to turn around and slap his best friend with his Math book. But instead, he didn't do anything. He just mumbled an uninterested "Ah, well... yeah...", trying to hide his disappointment before turning back to his homework. Disappointment. Why was he even disappointed? What the hell did he expect? That Bokuto would really approach him in any way that meant more than friendship? How pathetic...

~

The next day went by rather quickly and fortunately the worst thing did not happen: Akaashi didn't run into the girl from the previous day. And he hoped he wouldn't any time soon because he seriously wouldn't know how to act.

~

After school the Fukurodani volleyball team took the bus to Nekoma. Since the schools shared many years of friendship, it had become a tradition for them to have short weekend training camps at either of the schools now and then. The teams got along well so they were all looking forward to it, especially Bokuto, who formed a perfect symbiosis of multiplied silliness together with Nekoma's captain Kuroo Tetsurou. Sometimes Akaashi got the feeling that the average IQ dropped below zero as soon as those two interacted. They were like a weird species of animals that had their own way to communicate. Their language consisted of "Hey hey heeey"s and "Oho ho ho"s and in between they threw insults at each other and laughed about stuff nobody else found funny and they understood each other perfectly. It was weird. Just weird. But also a little enviable. Just a little.  
For some reason, Akaashi was never really jealous of Kuroo. One might think there could be a reason to fear that Kuroo might steal the title of best friend away from Akaashi, but that wasn't the case. Maybe because the way Bokuto treated Kuroo was so different from how he treated Akaashi. Or maybe because Nekoma's setter, Kenma, had a very special way of looking up from his PSP now and then, sending a sharp glare into Kuroo's direction that only the black-haired middle blocker seemed to understand. Kenma never showed many emotions. But Akaashi was sure that didn't mean they weren't there. And if anyone was able to understand Kenma without the small boy saying a word, it was definitely his childhood friend, Kuroo.  
This and many other things about those two should become clear to Akaashi during this very evening.

~

It was quite late when they where all sitting on their sleeping bags and chatting in the classroom. They had moved all tables and chairs to the sides of the room so that there was enough space for all of them. Some members of the team were so exhausted from today's practice that they were already trying to get some sleep. It probably wasn't very effective with the light still on, the door opening and closing now and then, and some team members (among them Kuroo and Bokuto) not bothering to lower their volume while talking.

"And then", Kuroo yelled. "That guy was like 'What, you're a boy?' and you should have seen Kenma's face, ahahaha!" Bokuto and some others started laughing about the story while Akaashi gazed over to Kenma, who didn't look up from his console and didn't seem to care at all. It was difficult for Akaashi to imagine this guy's face when some random macho on the street mistook him for a girl...

"Well it's not too bad, looking like a girl, is it?", Sarukui from Fukurodani said. "You could easily introduce him as your girlfriend if you don't want to get bothered by girls."

Kuroo looked over to him and raised a brow. "Well, I easily introduce him as my boyfriend, though", he said, sounding as if it was the most normal thing in the world and anyone who disagreed should think about it twice before speaking his mind.

Sarukui didn't know what to say and got obviously a little scared because of the glare Kuroo was sending into his direction, so he kept his mouth shut. The other people listening didn't seem to be so surprised. Neither did Akaashi.

"I told it to a girl just yesterday", Kuroo continued talking and folded his arms in front of his chest. He sounded a bit more serious now. "She came to me with a letter. You know? Because of Valentine's Day." It became a little more quiet in the room and some of those who didn't pay attention earlier were now listening carefully. "Told her, sorry I'm taken. And actually I like to fuck guys, not girls."

"You didn't say that!", Bokuto yelled at him with his eyes wide open in surprise while he grabbed the owl-shaped cushion on his lap like a excited child.

Kuroo laughed. "Naaah, not the last part obviously. But I told her whom I'm dating. Just to make sure she wouldn't try to find out and start some bitch fight, you know? Girls can be scary when seeing someone as their rival. But they wouldn't try anything when the rival is a guy. Dunno why, but it works every time." He ended with a shrug.

"So you mean they don't try to get between you and Kenma-kun?" Fukurodani's Libero Komi asked curiously. Well, this was a topic you didn't get to hear every day, right?

"Nope", Kuroo answered with a grin. "Instead they start shipping us."

"Ship...ping?", Sarukai repeated confusedly.

"It means they turn into shameless fujoshi and draw doujinshi and write gay love stories about you", Bokuto explained, proud to know something someone else didn't.

But the reaction wasn't quite what he had expected. Instead of an impressed "Woooah", he got an irritated "How do YOU know that?", from Komi.

"B-Because of my cousin!", Bokuto answered quickly. "Trust me, she's the scariest example of those fujoshi-creatures alive!"

Akaashi could confirm that. He met her once. And he was glad that it was only once.

"Maaan", Nekoma's wing spiker Yamamoto said with a frustrated sigh. "You got first world problems, I tell you! I'd be so happy if a girl ever gave me a Valentine's present." He looked around the little group. "Who else got one?"

Bokuto slowly raised his hand but looked rather uninterested. Akaashi didn't want anybody to know about his own present, so he just kept watching and listening silently.

"Woah, cool! And? Is she cute? Will you date her?", Yamamoto asked excitedly.

"I dunno, she didn't write a name on it", Bokuto shrugged it off. "But the chocolate was good!"

"Maybe it wasn't a girl", Kuroo grinned. "Maybe it was Akaashi."

Akaashi's eyes widened as he stared over to Nekoma's captain - just at the right moment to see a pillow flying towards the black spiky head.

"Hey!", Kuroo complained and turned around, grabbing the pillow Kenma had thrown at him without looking up from his game.

Akaashi didn't say anything but somehow the atmosphere felt tense all of a sudden. It seemed like he wasn't the only one noticing that, because a second later, Bokuto broke the silence by throwing himself at Akaashi and pulling him into a tight hug.

"Aaaas if!", he declared and rubbed his cheek on Akaashi's shoulder. "Akaashi wouldn't need to write a secret letter, he already knows how much I love him."

And in that moment something inside Akaashi made a 'click'. Like a switch that was flipped. Enough. That was enough. He couldn't bear it anymore. He thought of Bokuto telling him that he could simply ask for a date. He thought about Bokuto teasing him, Bokuto calling him cute, Bokuto changing or showering right next to him, Bokuto letting his head fall onto his shoulder... No, that was it. It was just too much. And that's why he slowly pushed Bokuto away from him with both hands, trying to look as calm and collected as always, and mumbled: "Whatever. I'm going to the toilet." And with that he got up and left the room.

For a moment it was silent in the class room, but then, Yamamoto continued talking. "Anyway, Bokuto- what kind of chocolate did you get?"

While the boys continued talking, Kenma put his PSP aside and got up. He walked towards the door but stopped next to Kuroo and gave him a soft slap against the back of his spiky head with his flat hand. "You're an idiot, you know?", he said monotonously, looking down at the tall boy who was sitting next to his legs. Kuroo looked up, making a pouting face, but didn't say anything. It was admitted defeat.

~

With a rattling sound the can fell into the slit of the vending machine. How loud such a normal noise sounded when the school corridor was all dark and empty... Akaashi grabbed the can and leant back against the side of the machine, staring at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts for a moment, before he sank down into a sitting position with a sigh. He pressed the cold can against his warm forehead and let his head fall onto his knees.  
Dammit... his heart was beating so fast. It was such a weird feeling. Actually nothing felt better than Bokuto hugging him - or touching him at all. And Bokuto saying all these cute things. But then again, Akaashi wished for nothing more than for him to stop. Because it was torture, being this close, and still Bokuto was unreachable for him. If only he knew... thank god he didn't! If he knew, basically everything about them would change. And Akaashi was somehow scared of changes. Bokuto would probably be creeped out but he was too nice to admit that, so he would end up acting all weird and distanced and try to be as always. It would be the worst. As much as Akaashi loved him - no, BECAUSE he loved him - he couldn't risk losing him. It was better if everything stayed the way it was. He would have to deal with those feelings and just wait for them to go away. He didn't know much about these things because he had never felt anything similar before, but anything was better than the risk of losing Bokuto.

"It's such an annoying topic, isn't it?"

Akaashi twitched when he suddenly heard a voice and when he looked up, Kenma was standing in front of him, looking out of the window as if there was much to see in the darkness. Even in the long, quiet corridor Akaashi hadn't heard him approaching. Silently like a cat. How fitting.

"Valentine's Day, I mean", Kenma continued, looking over at Akaashi, his hands in the pockets of his jogging pants.

It was quite obvious Kenma had noticed that something was wrong with Akaashi and that he wasn’t just going to the toilet. It made Akaashi feel a little uncomfortable. But still, somehow he appreciated the small setter following him.

"I got chocolate, too", Akaashi finally mumbled and averted his eyes, staring at the unopened coke in his hand. "And then it made me feel really bad."

Kenma kept staring at him with a straight face and didn't say anything.

"You know?", Akaashi continued. "When Bokuto-san got chocolate and even a letter..." He hesitated. But then he decided that if there was anyone who wouldn't run over to Bokuto and tell him everything, it was Kenma Kozume. "...I got really jealous." It was weird to talk about this. But right now, he simply had to let it all out. "I mean", he laughed ironically. "Not jealous because he got a present and I wanted one, too. But... jealous because..." He bit his lower lip. Kenma didn't ask him to finish the sentence. And Akaashi knew that the blonde one understood what he meant without doing so. "When this other girl gave chocolate to me, I just gave it to Bokuto-san because I just didn't care at all. But then I started wondering... what if this girl knew that I gave her present away? What if Bokuto-san's admirer knew that he cares more about chocolate than about who sent him a love letter? They'd probably be hurt, wouldn't they?"

He looked up at Kenma again, who went back to staring outside the window. A short shrug was all Akaashi got as a reply.

"I don't know myself anymore", Akaashi sighed. "Getting angry and annoyed by a girl who never wanted to cause any harm. Wishing they'd all just disappear because I'm so damn possessive. That's not like me. I... don't even want to think this way."

For a moment, there was silence and Akaashi began to feel even more weird because he had talked a little too much and bothered Kenma with his private problems. But then, Kenma started talking.

"There's nothing bad about being selfish now and then", he said.

Akaashi looked at him with his brow furrowed.

"It's actually a very natural feeling", Kenma continued without looking at Akaashi. "The more you care about something or someone, the more you want them all for yourself." Finally he turned his head to the side and faced Akaashi. "You don't have to feel bad about that."

~

'You don't have to feel bad about it', was what Akaashi repeated in his head for a million times while lying in his sleeping bag with the moonlight shining into the class room, so he could see Bokuto's sleeping face clearly right next to him. The tall young man was lying on his side, using his arm as a pillow and pressing his owl-cushion to his chest with his other arm. His mouth was slightly opened.  
Akaashi didn't know how long he was staring at him but he didn't get such a chance often, so it seemed like a waste of time to sleep now. After what felt like forever, he finally couldn't resist the urge anymore, and reached out his arm. His heart beat faster when his fingertips touched Bokuto's cheek and then his forehead as he brushed away some strands of his hair. Bokuto made a smacking sound in his sleep and Akaashi smiled softly. He wanted to kiss him. Instead he pulled his hand back and kept watching him until the early morning hours.

~

He would regret that the next day.

It was in the late afternoon and the sun was already going down. They had been practising basically the whole day, apart from lunch break. It wasn't surprising that they were all quite exhausted but today, Akaashi was a special case. He really should have slept a little earlier. But that was easier said than done when Bokuto wore a tank top while sleeping and hardly used his sleeping bag as a blanket because it had been quite warm in the class room. How should Akaashi think of sleeping while having such a view?

"Akaashi!", their coach eventually shouted at him. "Did you forget your concentration at home or what?" Akaashi bit his lower lip and tried not let the words get to him too personally because he was used to their coach having a rough way of talking. He tried to focus on their practice. That's what he’d done the whole day, though...

"Nice block!", someone from Nekoma shouted as Inouka perfectly blocked Bokuto's spike and Akaashi was mentally preparing for a heartbreaking 'Don't pass to me anymore today!' when Nekoma won the match with an impressive quick set from Kenma and Kuroo. But before that could happen, Fukurodani's coach called Akaashi over to him.

"That last set was utterly mistimed. Seriously, what's wrong with you recently?", the man asked with a sigh, and even if Akaashi couldn't deny their coach had every reason to criticize his play, he was still far too churned up inside to deal with it in the reasonable way he usually did. He just nodded and apologized and promised to focus better from now on.

When he walked back to the rest of his team, Bokuto was the first to approach him and was probably about to cheer him up (yes, sometimes it even worked that way round) but he didn't get any further than "Hey Akaashi-", because the setter simply ignored him and kept walking out of the gym.

"What the heck?", Bokuto mumbled to himself, because he seriously doubted that his friend just went to the toilet - he had already doubted that yesterday evening. Akaashi was still acting strange, even if he denied it. And this time Bokuto wouldn't let him off the hook so easily. Well, at least that was the plan when he was about to follow him, but then he heard their coach shouting his name and saw him waving him over.

"Bokuto, come here for a second. There's some stuff I need to discuss with you... The rest of you are dismissed for today. We'll have dinner after you're done showering." Bokuto grumbled to himself, but it couldn't be helped. Captain duties and all that.

~

'Some stuff' turned out to be an analysis of today's practice, the upcoming schedule, and some other organisational stuff that could have waited easily until later, at least in Bokuto's opinion. When he returned to the changing room, it was already empty - apart from Kuroo.

"Yo!", the black-haired Nekoma captain greeted him and got up from the bench he was sitting on. "Was waiting for you."

"Thanks man, but I'm actually in a hurry", Bokuto explained while grabbing his clothes. "Gotta talk to Akaashi."

"That's great, because that's exactly what I planned to talk about", Kuroo said with a grin that made Bokuto stop in his movement.

"What do you mean?", he asked, looking at the other confusedly.

"Well, I guess I should apologize. Or let’s say (no comma) Kenma thinks I should apologize because personally I think I shouldn't and you guys would actually need even more hints to finally get it..."

Bokuto frowned. He didn't get at all what his friend was talking about.

"About Akaashi sending you a love letter", Kuroo explained and rolled his eyes.

Bokuto made a slightly annoyed sound and pulled his shirt out over his head. No time for a shower now, but he needed fresh clothes at least. "Oh come on, I thought it's about something serious. That was just a stupid joke!", he answered while changing.

"Maybe, maybe not", Kuroo continued and watched Bokuto shamelessly. "Seriously, it hurts in my head to see you idiots madly in love and not getting a single step further. Can't watch that any longer."

"Dunno what you're talking about", Bokuto lied. He wasn't a good liar.

Kuroo laughed. "Woah, you can tell that to your granny, owl ass, but don't try to convince me that you're NOT crazy for him because your arguments are so invalid!"

Bokuto shoved his dirty clothes into his bag and stared at Kuroo for a second, before he finally said: "Alright, alright, it's not like I'm making a secret out of it, okay? But that's just me. Akaashi doesn't have any interest like that in me."

Again he got an amused laughter as a reply. "Are you kidding me? Or are you blind or something? Seriously, Bokuto, are you telling me you can't see that?"

Bokuto bit his lower lip. "See what!?" His voice sounded upset now. "I can totally see that I'm making a fool out of myself by hitting on him all the time and trying to get somewhere but there's about zero reaction from him, okay? You don't see us every day, so I can't blame you for not knowing, but trust me, I'm using every goddamn chance to tell him that he's damn cute and I'd like to date him and do all kinds of other unholy shit that I don't want to mention here, but what the hell should I do when he just won't react to it?" The words had just come out like a waterfall. That's what happened when he got angry. And it didn't help at all that Kuroo was still grinning at him like an asshole who knew some important secrets that made him somehow superior.

"You know what?", the blocker finally said. "Maybe you should just be a little more straight-forward. Well, cross out the 'a little' part. Be a LOT more straight-forward! Because Akaashi doesn't have the same huge-ass self-confidence YOU have. He won't get what you mean with your lame flirting attempts unless you simply tell him. He thinks you're just making fun. And it's driving me nuts to see how both of you are too blind to get it!"

"...Lame?", Bokuto repeated with narrowed eyes.

Kuroo shrugged. "They are lame. As far as I could see. If I had used nothing but those, I wouldn't have gotten Kenma."

"Then how did you get him?", Bokuto asked, seriously curious.

Kuroo grinned. "I just pushed him against the wall of the changing room and kissed him. Want me to demonstrate it?"

Bokuto sighed and shook his head while rolling his eyes.

"Okay, whatever", he mumbled. "Thanks for the advice, Cupid!", he waved half-heartedly and threw his bag over his shoulder, making his way out of the changing room.

"He went onto the rooftop", Kuroo shouted after him. "That's what Kenma said."

"Thanks, pussycat!"

"Love you, too, owl-ass!"

~

Akaashi had been sitting with his back leaning against the balustrade since he came up here. It had gotten dark by now but there wasn't a single cloud in the sky so the light of the moon and stars was bright enough for him to at least find his way back to the door without tripping. That was, if he planned to go back downstairs anytime soon. Which he didn't. He knew his behaviour wouldn't make things any better but right now he needed a moment alone. He realized that things couldn't go on like that. His worries influencing his play was a no-go. It was already starting. Everything would change and break apart just because of those damn feelings. He had to think about a way to end this. He had to stop feeling such a way for Bokuto. That's what he thought while chewing on his lower lip with a big lump in his throat and tears forming in his eyes. How did you stop loving someone? How...?

He raised his head instantly when he heard the door opening and his eyes widened when out of all people it was Bokuto who looked at him from over there.

'Damn!', he thought. 'Damn, damn, damn!' Nervously he raised his hand as if to rub his nose, trying to blink the tears away but it was already too late.

"Hey hey heeeey...", Bokuto said with an unusually quiet and comforting voice as he walked over to his friend and kneeled down in front of him. He looked at Akaashi's irritated face, smiled softly, and then reached out both arms to pull him into a hug. 

In this very moment, it felt like something broke free inside of Akaashi. He leant into the hug, face buried into Bokuto's shirt, forehead pressed against his chest and both hands gripping the fabric of the shirt as if his life depended on it. And there they were. The tears he had held back for a little too long. Right now, he didn't even care that he was crying in Bokuto's arms like a child and didn't worry about what the other might think of him, because Bokuto had hardly ever seen him cry and especially not during the past years. Right now, all that mattered to Akaashi was that he was there, holding him, comforting him.

They lost track of how long they were sitting there without saying a single word. Eventually, Akaashi's tears had stopped. Bokuto's hand was slowly running up and down over his friend's back, while his head was lowered so that his cheek was resting against Akaashi's hair. He inhaled the scent of his shampoo and had his eyes closed, enjoying this closeness much more than the black-haired setter knew.

Akaashi's eyes were closed as well and he tried desperately to stay calm but his heart was racing so much that he knew it was impossible for Bokuto not to notice. In fact, he could feel Bokuto's heartbeat too, strong and steady in his chest, which Akaashi was leaning against. If it was up to him, this moment wouldn't ever have to end. But sadly time went by the fastest when you enjoyed yourself. And after a while, Bokuto broke the silence.

"Akaashi", he started. "Is it because of me?", he asked quietly.

Akaashi froze.

"I mean... you being distracted and down. Does that have to do with me?"

'No!', he answered in his mind almost instantly. 'No, no, no! It has nothing to do with you. Not the least bit!'  
...  
"I guess so." Damn! The words came over his lips before he knew it.

"I'm sorry", Bokuto mumbled.

He was... SORRY??? Sorry for what? He didn't do anything. There was no reason to be sorry. It wasn't Bokuto's fault that he was handsome and funny and simply the most perfect person Akaashi could ever imagine!

"I didn't want to make you sad." He was still holding Akaashi in his arms. And while it was weird talking in such a position, Akaashi was more than glad that he didn't have to look at him during such a conversation. He was sure Bokuto agreed with him on that. Akaashi was just about to tell him that he didn't need to be sorry, when Bokuto started talking first.

"The truth is... well, uhm...", he stuttered. "I... I just wanted to say that..." This was exactly why Bokuto didn't like these kinds of discussions. He wasn't good at talking about his feelings. He preferred to express them instead. And that was the moment he understood why Kuroo had just skipped all the stupid talking and simply kissed Kenma. But Bokuto couldn't do that. He wasn't Kuroo and he didn't even know if Akaashi really felt the same way he did. "I'd just rather see you happy." Oh great.

Akaashi nodded against his chest before slowly pulling back and wiping his cheeks with his hands. He looked at Bokuto with a soft smile and nodded. "I know... thank you, Bokuto-san."

Bokuto stared at him for a moment, realizing once more how right Kuroo has been. Akaashi really didn't get it. He didn't get any of Bokuto's flirting attempts in the past and he absolutely had no clue that Bokuto was crazy about him.

"No, no, no, wait!", the white-haired wing spiker said and grabbed both of Akaashi's shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes. "What I mean is...", he started another attempt. "I really mean it, when I say you're cute."

Akaashi's heart skipped a beat.

"And I really don't care about any girl sending me Valentine's presents", Bokuto continued. " I don't plan to find out who sent this letter and even if there had been a name on it I'd totally turn her down anyway-" It sounded a little as if he forgot to take a breath in between, which would normally make Akaashi worry but right now he was too busy concentrating on the words coming from his friend. "I cared a lot more about the chocolate YOU gave me, even if it wasn't really from you but from some random girl whom I hope you don't care about either because otherwise I'd be jealous as fuck. Oh and I meant it, when I said I wanna go out with you. I... I also meant it when-" Finally he took a deep breath before he ended: "-when I said I love you."

Silence.

There they sat. In the middle of the night. On the school's rooftop. In each other’s arms. Two idiots who had made their lives far too complicated without any reason to, just because they didn't notice each other’s feelings. One staring at the other full of hope and expectation, the other confused, surprised and too overwhelmed to react in any possible way - which made Bokuto nervous as hell.

"Uhm...", he mumbled and scratched his own cheek with his index finger. "I-If I got it wrong after all, I guess I just made a huge fool out of mysel-"

He didn't manage to finish the sentence when suddenly Akaashi leaned forward and kissed him.  
He couldn't tell what'd gotten into him, but when he heard those three little words coming from Bokuto's mouth, he had to do it. His feelings simply overwhelmed him and he couldn't resist them any longer. And damn, it was SO worth it! Because kissing Bokuto Koutarou felt a million times better in real life than in all of his countless dreams. His lips felt so warm and soft and it made Akaashi feel as if this was all he had ever waited for. Even if it was a short kiss, more like pressing lips together and then parting again, it was the best Akaashi had ever felt.

It was even worth the slightly embarrassing silence and staring at each other afterwards when neither of them knew what to say and in the end, all Bokuto could bring up was a breathless: "Wow..."

Akaashi looked at him with his eyes still wet but a bright smile on his lips, which Bokuto hadn't seen in far too long. The last time Akaashi had smiled like that was when they won an important match. It was a shame that he didn't smile more often because it was the most beautiful thing Bokuto could ever imagine. Which wasn't difficult because to him, Akaashi was the most beautiful human being anyway, and this moment on the rooftop was just one of the millions that made Bokuto realize so once more.

"Now I hope I didn't make a fool out of myself", Akaashi whispered. There was still a tiny bit of doubt in him that made him fear the answer.

But this bit was shattered into pieces when Bokuto returned his smile and shook his head. "Not at all", he said but then raised his index finger, his smile turning into a seductive grin. "I have only one request."

Akaashi tilted his head. "Request?", he repeated.

"Yep", Bokuto said and cupped Akaashi's face in both hands, pulling him closer until he was just an inch away. Then he breathed against his lips: "Let's do that again."

Akaashi couldn't help but smile as they closed the small gap between them, locking their lips into a much longer, much deeper kiss.

The nights weren't warm in February but the two friends - no wait - lovers, embracing each other on the rooftop, didn't feel any cold.

~

Time went by while they were sitting on the rooftop and had eventually moved into a more comfortable position. Now it was Bokuto who was leaning against the balustrade, Akaashi sitting between his legs and leaning back against his chest, Bokuto's arms wrapped around him.

"Can't believe you didn't just tell me earlier...", Akaashi quietly said while his fingertips were brushing continuously over Bokuto's naked forearms. His heart still wouldn't stop beating faster but by now there wasn't anything negative about this feeling anymore. In fact, he enjoyed it.

"Pfff, neither did you", Bokuto mumbled against Akaashi's neck, before placing a kiss there, which gave the other shivers. Akaashi couldn't stop smiling. True. He had been far too scared to tell Bokuto about his feelings. Never would he have guessed that everything would turn out like this. He realized that from now on, things would definitely change. But maybe these changes he had been so afraid of weren't such a bad thing after all. It felt like a huge weight was taken from his heart just by making Bokuto know about his feelings. And the other one returning those felt like a dream.

He chuckled at the thought of it. "If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up", he whispered and felt embarrassed by the cheesy words just a second later, but then-

"Outch!" He twitched and looked at Bokuto over his shoulder, rubbing his neck with his hand. "What was that?"

Bokuto looked at him with a seductive grin. "I bit you", he said, sounding almost proud. "See? It's not a dream."

Akaashi felt his face warm up and was glad that it was dark enough so that Bokuto might not see his red cheeks. He didn't notice that he had stared at Bokuto without a word until the spiker mumbled an unsure "Uhm... Am I... is that... too fast?"

"Eh?"

"I- I just mean, because uhm, we just- you know? But I really wanna touch you and kiss you because I’ve wanted to do that for ages and-", Bokuto stuttered nervously but then he was interrupted.

"Bokuto-san?"

"Huh?"

"Shut up and kiss me!"

~

"So it's set then? Karasuno will join our summer camp", Kuroo grinned. "That's sure gonna be interesting!"

"Hm", Kenma mumbled and finished typing his message to Hinata before putting his phone away and taking a sip of his milkshake.

"And where are those stupid owls? Didn't we say we meet at four?", the black-haired middle blocker asked, looking at his watch which said almost half past four. The two Nekoma players were sitting at Starbucks near the station, waiting for two certain Fukurodani players because Bokuto had suggested to hang out today and celebrate their passed exams. What an optimist to plan this even before passing...

"Hey heeey!", a well known voice finally shouted from the entrance and as Kuroo and Kenma turned around, Bokuto was waving at them with a big grin while Akaashi greeted them with a less energetic but friendly "Hey there", when they walked closer.

"Oh wow, if these aren't my favourite love birdies who came falling out of their love nest half an hour late. What an honour to see you!", Kuroo joked and Akaashi cleared his throat.

"Shut up, kitty cat!", Bokuto laughed, flopped down on the bench next to Akaashi, and put his arm around the other's shoulders. "We had a victory to celebrate!"

"So you got your results? And you passed? Wow, I'm surprised! Maybe owls are really smart after all."

"I'm so damn smart, okay?", Bokuto said proudly. "I did great. Right, Akaashi? He can prove it, he saw how awesome I did!"

"You were scared as shit before we got the results", Akaashi reminded him and Bokuto coughed.

"Heeey, you should be on my side!", he pouted and pulled Akaashi closer, placing a short kiss on his cheek, which made the setter turn bright red within a second.

"Are you crazy? Not in public!", he scolded him.

"Stop being so damn cute, then!", Bokuto grinned.

Kuroo laughed and rolled his eyes: "Geez, take a room!"

Meanwhile, Kenma read Hinata's text message ("Cannt waitto come to Tokyo! itll be graet!") and unnoticed by the other three, a small smile made its way to his lips as he replied: "I'll introduce some players to you. You will get along well."

**Author's Note:**

> That's it! (≧▽≦) Hope you liked it. Please don't be too harsh with me, because a) English is not my native language and b) this is my "comeback" as a writer after several years. I was on a loooong hiatus. Please let me know what you think about it! :3


End file.
